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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

chocolate weetabix

55 replies

ancienthistrionics · 14/04/2012 16:08

Please bear with me, this is going to sound like absolutely nothing but it has been rumbling for weeks now and I have no idea what to do, if anything.

DP's nephew has been living with us for about 18 months. He is an orphan who was brought up by DP's mother till she couldn't cope, which is where we stepped in.

I know that some people may remember our story. I don't want to spell it all out now, for privacy reasons, so will have to opt for drip feeding I'm afraid.

DN loves sweet things. I am very generous with puddings, with chocolatey things quite often, or ice cream. After what we can call a lengthy and at times painful training period Grin he now always eats his dinner, including vegetables and salad or whatever, cooks at least once a week, dishes in machine, sets table and does not dare take food from fridge. We never have biscuits or crisps in the house and only yoghurt or fruit. He is also polite and works hard at school. I think it is little short of a miracle and I'm really proud of him, and yes, of myself too, for all we have achieved.

For a long time I had trouble getting him to have breakfast before school - and as he was refusing school when we got him, and behaving very very badly when he did go so (his behaviour nosedived when he was tired or hungry) bedtime and breakfast were big issues I dealt with.

Also, I didn't know him at all when he came to us and food, and cooking, has been the start of our bond.

Finally, after much negotiation and trying different things, including cooking him bacon and eggs every morning, porridge with syrup and fruit etc. we settled on chocolate weetabix. He loves them and gets through a box a week, which is quite a lot because he snacks on them too, after dinner before bed, at the weekend etc.

This is all me, rather than DP who is working very hard at the moment and frankly hasn't got very involved in any of it.

Suddenly, DP has butted in and said DN can't have chocolate weetabix, because it's baby food and ridiculous he has to alternate with normal weetabix. He hates that he has put on weight (he has a bit, but is still within the normal range). I asked him to do more things with him, some sport or whatever (we live by the sea with loads of stuff to do, it's the main reason we moved here) but he's too busy so just makes a change that I have to enforce and go through the whole nightmare of getting him to have breakfast, etc. again when I had it all sorted. I have talked to DN and he's really upset he can't have them, we had a look at the box and they only have 10g more per 100g than the normal ones which he'll pile sugar on anyway. I'm so pissed off with DP, have tried to talk it through but he seems to think it's The Way Forward and I mustn't undermine him. We have had about four massive rows about this and I no longer know what to think.

OP posts:
Rezolution · 15/04/2012 10:07

Cider Hello again! Think maybe your DS could join a club to make new friends. Scouts, Cadets, Swimming club, Badminton? Tennis, football, well just about anything. Far from ruining his life you are giving him important skills in how to move around our modern world and settle in anywhere. That is a real asset in this day and age.
Ancient Yes, I can feel your frustration with DS. That bit about going to the corner shop struck a chord with me. I do all the running errands here because the DDs are too busy/lazy/shy to go for me. Don't mind 'cos it helps with my exercise and weight loss but it sure isn't doing them any favours.
Think you are doing a great job bringing up DN and you deserve a bit more backing from the other adults so here is a Thanks from me.

ancienthistrionics · 15/04/2012 10:56

thanks everyone. I have to say in all honesty that DN is such a great kid, it has been more him than me. He has responded very quickly to the new rules.

Bonsoir, thanks so much. High standards are definitely the way to go, the harder they have to try the better for their self-esteem.

rezolution yy, we had a stand-off for a week recently, because he wanted to return something to a shop but said I had to do it because he's shy/they wouldn't take him seriously/he didn't know what to say, etc.. I refused but said I would go with him. Eventually he did it and they gave him his money back so now he has no excuse!

His favourite trick is, I say I'll go with him, then he says, well there's no point us both going then, I'll stay here Shock.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 15/04/2012 13:10

Great news about DH getting on board.

I have heard really great things about Sea Scouts so I'd put his name down and just present it as a done deal once he's got a place Grin

Perhaps DH needs to be putting his foot down with MIL rather than you Wink

TheAvocadoOfWisdom · 15/04/2012 13:23

you and your DP sound like you're doing a fab job. Long may it continue :o And Sea Scouts would be fab.

ThePinkPussycat · 15/04/2012 14:57

Just thinking about my childhood, when DM had it much easier re cereals - there was Weetabix, cornflakes, and rice krispies. Also Frosties and Co-co pops and Ricicles, but usually they were a special treat in a Variety pack. I didn't like them that much tbh, ugh at the sugariness, and never had sugar on ordinary cereal.

Times were simpler then, in terms of choice at least [old gimmer emoticon]

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